Going green on your next remodel? Add tile to your green product list

(ARA) – Are you planning an upcoming remodel for your home? Going green and using sustainable building materials continues to be a top trend in home improvement. Remodeling green isn’t just about using products with recycled content, it’s also about using superior products that will stand the test of time and reduce energy costs.

You can choose from a number of options when remodeling green, including modern energy-efficient appliances and low-VOC paints. Traditional products can also be environmentally friendly. For example, many homeowners choosing to go green are selecting ceramic tile for a variety of reasons.

Ceramic tile is inherently a sustainable product. It’s a great choice because it lasts up to four times longer than carpet and wood flooring. It never needs to be refinished like wood floors do, contributing to a low lifecycle cost. To clean, all you have to use is hot water which means no harsh chemicals are flushed into the ecosystem.

Tile also doesn’t release fumes or fibers into the air like carpet can. Many people dislike carpet because it houses microbes and other germs, and dirt can become deeply embedded, requiring a costly cleaning by a professional. Tile eliminates these issues entirely.

Getting all the great eco-friendly qualities of tile doesn’t mean a sacrifice of good design. Tile of Spain manufacturers offer stunning options in any size, format, texture, color and pattern. From modern, sleek designs to ornate, classic patterns, visit www.spaintiles.info to find tile that will perfectly suit your design personality.

Emerging technology has eliminated some of the concerns people tend to have when it comes to tile. Adding new tile used to be a daunting task. Tearing out old layers and disposing of them is messy and time-consuming. New slim tiles are only 3 to 6 millimeters thick and thin enough to be applied over existing tile, offering a new look to walls and floors with less hassle, and saving construction waste from the landfill.

Tile no longer has to be cold. It’s an ideal product to use in raised flooring and radiant heating. In fact, technological advances now allow for the tile to work in tandem with a home’s HVAC system. High-tech tiles adopt the temperature of the room and once past a certain temperature use nano energy storage cells to absorb thermal energy and then slowly release it back into the room. This technology alone can save the average home more than 16 percent in electricity bills.

Dry setting tile is now an option for home remodelers as well. Tile can be applied without mortar or grout, which means if you move, you can take the tile with you. Or you can change it in a few years without a lot of work.

If you don’t like the appearance of grout lines and worry about keeping these areas clean, there are new options in large format tile which can lessen the number of joints. Additionally, rectification of tile, a process where the edges of the tile are shaved off for perfect calibration, makes it possible to get a very tight “credit card” joint that allows a more seamless appearance.

If sustainability is a key consideration when remodeling, make sure the products you select are durable, easy to clean and are good for the health of your home and the environment. Ceramic tile helps you accomplish all of the above on your green check list.

Comments

Some great information here on ceramic tiles. I’ll bet buildings using ceramic tiles have lower rates of asthma, allergies and sick days for occupants.

According to a recent study by CoStar, green buildings that are certified under the LEED rating system …are sold for higher sales prices. …LEED certified buildings command sales prices of $171 per square foot more than the sales prices for buildings that are not LEED certified.